Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

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This afternoon’s practice was theoretically much lighter than the last couple. Guys were in shells and shorts instead of pads, and there weren’t very many full contact drills. Carlos Rogers sat out again, as did Roydell Williams. (“Hopefully it’s just sprained,” said Zorn of Williams.) Anthony Montgomery was out with a sore knee, and J.D. Skolnitsky is out with a hamstring.

Also held out of the practice, in what is expected to become a two-a-days tradition, were Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin, and Phillip Daniels.

Despite the nominally low-contact drills, there were two notable hits: DeAngelo Hall hammered Marko Mitchell along the sidelines — Mitchell held onto the ball — and a minor skirmish broke out between (I think) Mike Sellers and Kedric Golston. Nothing too serious, just a practice gone a little more boisterous than usual, and everyone seemed to be getting along fine at the post-practice huddle.

Like this:

When we got outside this morning, it looked like the a.m. practice was going to be a dreary, soggy, twitter-free affair. (My phone hates the rain.) But the downpour turned quickly to a drizzle, and even that stopped eventually. So what we wound up with instead was a much more pleasant practice in much cooler weather, albeit on a soggy, soggy field.

With the cooler weather, energy levels were higher on both sides of training camp: the players were hitting harder and getting after it a little more, and the fans were louder as well. The net result was the same as yesterday, though: the defense still looks well ahead of the offense.

The kicking competition got off to its official start yesterday, as Shaun Suisham and Dave Rayner attempted field goals for the first time this training camp. Neither of them missed. This may have been because there was no rush, no pressure, and no one else at all on the field.

Or it may be a harbinger of what the kicking game is going to look like this season, no matter which guy wins.

Here’s special teams coach Danny Smith after practice yesterday, explaining what might be the biggest difference in the kicking game this year: new holder Hunter “The Punter” Smith.

“We talk in terms of [Colts kickers] Adam Vinatieri and Mike Vanderjagt, guys in the top two in the history of the league in terms of field goal percentage. Who was the holder? There’s something to be said for that. He may be the best holder in the history of the game.” The assembled media laughed; Smith is a gifted raconteur, and people naturally assumed that this was some kind of a joke. Smith pressed on, insistent. “I mean, that might be true. You could have that argument!”

It was something that had been brought to my attention a couple of days ago, and the numbers can certainly be read to support the assertion. Vinatieri has been largely consistent through holder changes, but when Vanderjagt changed teams (and therefore holders), his accuracy nosedived. And Suisham’s numbers definitely dipped last year when Ryan Plackemeier took over the holding duties.

So I started asking around about Hunter Smith.

“He’s the most accurate holder in North America,” Suisham said. “Well, I can’t say North America. There could be a crafty Canadian somewhere out there. But you know.” Read more »